1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus such as a MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) that is a copier, a printer or a multifunctional digital machine collectively having the copy function, the print function, the scan function and other functions; an image processing method implemented by the image processing apparatus; an image forming apparatus; and a computer readable recording medium having a program recorded therein to make a computer execute processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following description sets forth the inventor's knowledge of related art and problems therein and should not be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art.
There exist some image processing apparatuses such as MFPs like that described above, having a Web browser that is software to view Web pages on the Internet, and such image processing apparatuses are configured to allow users to access a search site on a network using the Web browser and search information by a keyword.
For example, when a user views a document recorded in such an image processing apparatus and finds an unclear word in the document, the user can search the meaning of the word using a search site on a network, using the Web browser.
In many cases, users tend to easily forget the meaning of a word even though they have previously searched and learnt it. Thus, everytime a user finds an unclear word in a document, he/she practically has to search the meaning of the word by transmitting a keyword to a search site, even if he/she has previously searched and learnt it, which makes user operation troublesome and inefficient.
As disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2007-102767, there exists an information processing apparatus that is capable of suggesting referential documents helpful for understanding the currently viewed document. While a user is viewing a document, the information processing apparatus records as one record of context metadata, a connection between the currently viewed document and referential documents and a connection between a keyword used for information search and the referential documents that the user has previously viewed among those detected by the keyword. And then, when the user views this document again, the image processing apparatus facilitates this user's understanding the document, by analyzing the record of context metadata and providing a list of the documents that the user have previously viewed.
Meanwhile, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2007-102767, there exists an information processing apparatus that provides a list of available documents about one document, but does not facilitate a user's knowing the meaning of a word in a document having been previously viewed. And this image processing apparatus provides a different list of available documents about a different document. And thus, this technology cannot resolve the conventionally existing inconvenience described above, that everytime a user finds an unclear word in a document, he/she has to search the meaning of the word using a search site, even if he/she has previously searched and learned the meaning.
The description herein of advantages and disadvantages of various features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed in other publications is in no way intended to limit the present invention. Indeed, certain features of the invention may be capable of overcoming certain disadvantages, while still retaining some or all of the features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed therein.